Staff Details

Kevin Keller, CAE

Title:

Chief Executive Officer

Phone:

202-379-2202

Email:

kkeller@cfpboard.org

Kevin R. Keller is Chief Executive Officer of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board). Under his leadership, in support of CFP Board’s mission to benefit the public by granting the CFP® certification and upholding it as the recognized standard of excellence for competent and ethical personal financial planning, CFP Board is pursuing ambitious goals related to four overarching outcomes: increase public Awareness of CFP® professionals; achieve Growth in the number of CFP® professionals; secure Recognition and Regulation of financial planning as a distinct profession; and further CFP Board’s position as the Authority in financial planning.

Since Mr. Keller joined CFP Board in May of 2007, CFP Board has:

Grown the number of CFP® professionals in the U.S. by more than 30% to over 71,000, even while strengthening the CFP® certification requirements with the addition of new bachelor’s degree and capstone course requirements.

Launched its first major public awareness campaign to increase awareness of CFP® professionals, funded at about $9 million a year, which has generated consistent and significant signs of positive momentum in consumer awareness of CFP® certification.

Secured its reputation as a strong advocate for consumer and investor protection by implementing a fiduciary level of accountability on those individuals who use the CFP® mark in the delivery of financial planning services and working extensively with individuals, as well as firms that employ those individuals, to ensure compliance with those standards – the highest in financial planning.

Relocated to Washington, DC and assumed a leadership role in advancing public policy positions related to financial planning that benefit the public, working in concert with other prominent financial planning organizations, and in collaboration with industry and investor protection organizations.

Reengineered its disciplinary and enforcement process to increase transparency and accountability by including “public” non-certificant volunteers on hearing panels, with the objective of assuring safeguards for the public and a fair process for certificants.

Released the Financial Planning Competency Handbook, published by John Wiley & Sons, the first authoritative and seminal work that outlines the knowledge, actions and contexts associated with financial planning.

Mr. Keller joined CFP Board after serving 16 years with the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP), a membership organization which provides products, education and training for treasury and corporate finance. At AFP, he held the position of senior vice president and chief operating officer for the prior seven years and managed programs and services for the 16,000-member organization. He led the organization's strategic planning process and enhanced and grew the Certified Treasury Professional credential.

Mr. Keller has held senior staff positions at several associations and earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential in 2000. He holds a B.S. in agriculture and an M.S., both from Ohio State University.